When You Fall
by DMarEssence
Summary: Karime was the only person who could ever truly connect with Gaara. Three years after her 'death', they meet once more in the most unlikely of places. Can Karime hope to patch up their friendship and pave a new path to Gaara's hardened heart? Gaara/OC


Holy crap! I just realized, that in FMA, they call Pride (the eyepatch dude) the Furher, which is leader in German, but they also called Hitler the Furher... FREAKY! Anyway, this was supposed to be humorous fic, but it took a funky turn and is now more serious. Gaara-friendship-romance oneshot. REVIEW!

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The girl sat casually with her legs dangling over the lip of the swing, hugging her arms around the chains that held her up and watching her child hood friend from his spot upon the monkey bars. The hesitant boy's voice broke the silence.

"Karime, why is the ocean blue?" he asked sheepishly, staring at his bare feet that rested on the cool metal bars of the jungle gym.

"It's the reflection of the sky, Gaara-kun," the girl responded matter-of-factly, allowing her dirty feet to scrape the harsh sandy trench that had been dug in beneath the swing by those taller than her five foot, two inch frame. Karime took a moment to blow her slanted black bangs out of her face before looking up towards Gaara, who still looked curious.

"If the ocean is blue because of the sky, then why is the sky blue?" Karime shook her head disbelievingly.

"The sky is also a reflection of the ocean. Their both just big mirrors of each other."

"Like you and me?" Karime paused momentarily.

"What do you mean?" the little boy took a deep breath.

"Well, don't you have a demon inside you too?" the look in the depths of those green-blue eyes almost made the girl melt.

"We all have our demons Gaara."

"But yours and mine are different. Shukaku tells me that you have something like him inside you-"

"That's enough Gaara. Don't listen to what Shukaku tells you, and don't speak about him when we're not at home, okay?" There was more silence.

"Okay."

Karime had been watching Gaara grow into a repressed young boy these past 8 years, and tried to answer his questions as logically as possible. True, she held the six tailed badger demon, Rikuso within her, but the girl had discouraged such talk, considering it was this very subject that ostracized him and his alleged babysitter from other people in all aspects of life. Karime was, however, three years older than Gaara, and used this as leverage to conceal from him truths and reveal selected facts, especially regarding why other people avoided him.

He was still too young to understand that his life would be forever altered by this demon, and Karime would, as long as she lived, strive to ease this pain. The girl was the only one who understood him.

From birth, Karime'd been personally selected to be raised along side Gaara, ensuring him at least one mortal comfort that could not be damaged by even his father, the mighty Kazekage who was ashamed of his son to this day. Karime however, being rejected by her own parents because of the monster sealed within her, had known no family, and held on tightly to Gaara as if he were her blood brother.

"Karime? If the ocean gets its color from the sky, and the sky gets its color from the ocean, then where did the color come from? The blues, and greens and greys?" The girl glanced wearily at Gaara as he continued to swing recklessly from the monkey bars.

"Enough talk now, Gaara. Come down from there before you fall. Besides, it's getting late and your uncle said to be back before-"

"Sunset, I know," Gaara muttered holding out his arms for his guardian to catch him as he wiggled to the edge of the bars and slid into her warm embrace.

"Karime? You know I won't fall, right?" the girl looked down at him with one eye brow raised. What was he talking about?

"No, I don't know that Gaara. Please tell me why." A smile lit up the red head's face and he looked up at Karime with affection glittering in his young eyes.

"Because you'll always be there to catch me."

* * *

When she'd finally realized why Gaara's sand shield allowed her to come in physical contact with Gaara, Karime almost laughed. Apparently, Shukaku and Gaara's mother both approved of his guardian as Gaara's _mate._

Of course, he didn't know what it meant, and it was better that way. Rikuso's insane hormonal cycles cried out for power such as Shukaku's, but Karime would never allow such an atrocity... well, maybe in a few years... when they were older.

With a sigh, Karime rolled over beneath the covers and tried to focus on sleeping, because unlike Gaara, she could enjoy this luxury. This night however, all she could focus on was the dark silhouette of a young boy standing on the balcony, watching the stars. Yawning and stretching, the girl sauntered towards the open balcony and leaned on the railing overlooking the entirety of Sunagakure.

"What were you thinking about Gaara-kun?"

"What you said earlier. Where does the blue come from?" she smiled, trying to come up with an answer.

"Ah, it is the rain! The rain falls into the ocean, and is absorbed by the clouds," she winked at Gaara who nodded in understanding. However, the look of completion was replaced by confusion.

"Where does the rain come from?"

Karime sighed.

"Well, I suppose when people, like you and me, with blue eyes, you know, cry a whole bunch of tears. They have to go somewhere right? The clouds take them up and turn the sky blue, then rain them down and make the ocean blue. That's why the sky and ocean are blue," the girl stated definitely, patting his shoulder and shuffling back into her bedroom. He didn't follow, of course, and why should he? He didn't have anything better to do then ponder on those ridiculous questions and the corny answers he'd been given.

The next evening, after they were walking home from the park, a peculiar sight caught Karime's attention. They were being followed... by someone who looked just like her. Gaara remained oblivious, but Karime could smell the shadow clone a mile away.

"Gaara, why don't you hurry home, alright? Meet you there?" Gaara looked slightly dejected.

"But I get lonely without you Karime! Why don't we race?" Gaara suggested with his childlike innocence. Realizing she could use this as an opportunity to slip away to get this clone of herself, Karime agreed.

"Alright, one, two, three!" Gaara spurted ahead with ninja like ability as Karime burst backwards, attempting to take out the vision of herself.

"Who are you and why are you following me?" she demanded, staring the clone down as it backed into an alley.

"Karime-chan, you know me very well!" The voice that came from behind the clone shocked her. It was Gaara's uncle. She would recognize his phony sweetness anywhere. In the next instant, however, Karime were taken by surprise as a black bag was draped over her head and secured; wrists bound by chakra cords.

"W-what's going on?" she cried out, struggling against the restraints.

"It really disgusts me, having two of you demon scum puppets living under my roof. Not to worry. Both you and Gaara will be out of the picture soon enough." A sadistic laugh rang through the girl's ears before she choked out one more question.

"Why?" Karime began to sob. Her life had been nothing but misery and wanting; normalcy and love were just figments of imagination she and Gaara concocted to make their pathetic existence worth pursuing, and now the only man she thought even remotely cared for Gaara just sentenced her to death.

"Why? I don't question orders from the Kazekage, so if you want to know why, then bring it up with him," he laughed again. His voice, now harsh and lacking it's usual honey-coated nature sounded like coarse sandpaper to the sensitive ears of the badger demon.

"Take her into the desert and dispose of her where the body can't be found." Those were the last words Karime heard as her world became blackness.

All she could think about in the swimming darkness was Gaara. Was he alright? Did his father really want to two of them dead? Why had he kept me around so long if this was his plan? What would happen now? Where am I? All Karime could feel was the grit of the suna (sand) against her skin as she slowly regained consciousness enough to know that Rikuso had taken over in her weakened state... and killed their captors, whoever they were.

By now, however, Karime found herself halfway out in the desert with no idea where she was or where to go. So she did the next best thing… ran. Ran towards the darkness that was slowly creeping over the desert. Once it came and swallowed the dunes, she'd be freezing, so she sought refuge a few miles out in the skirts of a shaded forest, something her eyes had barely beheld.

Once she'd regained full motor skills and had repressed the ungrateful, blood thirsty demon within her, Karime noticed that the trees were more populous in this area, of course, taking inventory on her wounds, she realized she must've had an intense scuffle before reclaiming her freedom, and wouldn't be mobile for a few days at least. Good thing she didn't really need food. Necessity was one thing, and desire was a whole other thing completely. The empty bowels of her stomach cried out for sustenance, but her unresponsive limbs protested as she lay there on the ground.

By the second day, she could twitch her fingers and the third, her legs, but no major improvements. Karime was an injured, sitting, demon infested duck and she didn't like it one bit, so, she decided to allow herself to sleep.

It would help the strangely inflicted wounds heal, and pass the time, unfortunately, the time she didn't have. Gaara was in mortal peril, and Karime's one track mind was focused on that soul purpose. Using what remained of her non-existent strength, Karime pulled her begrudging body to its feet, only to find that a head-rush overcame her and she once more fell into unconsciousness, which was never good because it brought out the demon in her... literally.

Who knew what could happen when she was in that state? Right now, Karime didn't care about that, only about Gaara. He was suffering, and she could feel it.

Losing track of the time she spent as Rikuso, Karime found herself twiddling her thumbs anxiously within the dark chambers of her mind where Rikuso normally resided. Suddenly, a light appeared in front of the girl and she scampered towards it eagerly, hoping to rescue Gaara before-

Karime was tied. To a chair. With a bag over her head. In a room with a cement floor. The minute she became conscious however, a sad looking Rikuso appeared before her, muttering something she couldn't understand. _"What're you doing to me?" _Karime asked wearily.

"_Giving you a new life,"_ the demon responded before the girl awoke. Frantically, Karime tried to break free of her bonds. In that instant however, she found herself realizing that she didn't know _why_ she had to get free. That Rikuso! She must've done something to... something.

_Why can't I remember? Who was Rikuso again? Why am I tied up? _

"Let. Me. OUT! Please! I have to get out of here! There's something I have to do, someone I have to-"

"She's finally awake." A deep voice reverberated through Karime's exasperation.

"I don't know why I'm here! Please let me out!" she cried again, panic overwhelming her.

"Calm down and we'll release you," the man ordered and the girl attempted to relax her muscles as the bonds were undone and the bag was lifted. Gazing at these men, Karime realized they were ninja... they had leaf headbands while she sported a head band from the sand. _I'm a ninja? Who knew! _The confused looks she was giving her interrogators let them in on your secret.

"We've spoken to our leading medical director, and it seems you've experienced some sort of chakra wipe. Irreversible and irrevocable I'm afraid. Do you remember anything at all?" one of them asked, a bit of sympathy revealing through his ruthless expression.

"My name is Ka- something... Kari... Karmire... Oh! Karime! That's it! And I guess I'm a Suna nin... or something, but that's all I know." The men looked at each other.

"I suppose it would be a danger to yourself and others if we didn't mention that you harbor the evil Rokubi Mujina (six-tailed badger) within you. It's sealed of course, but for now, you'll have to be monitored." Karime nodded, confused.

"Oh." The silence in the room was deafening as the interrogators had no idea what to say to the young girl. One of them broke the silence however.

"So, who was this someone you had to save? It sounded pretty important earlier." Karime bit her lip. She couldn't remember anyone from her past... not as if she had parents because of the demon but still... no faces or names or anything came to mind. Only one thing fogged the darkness.

"A boy with the saddest eyes I've ever seen. Like an angry sky... he must be so alone right now," Karime sighed, taking no inventory of the other discarded memories she may have possessed.

"No reports of missing nin from the Suna have come in, so they're not looking for anyone. Since there's no file or papers on you, and you don't remember enough to satisfy an interrogation, you're free to go. Welcome to Konoha, Karime. May you find a new life." _It feels like someone told me that recently... oh well, can't remember!_

Somehow, Karime felt this amnesia thing would bring a whole new world of opportunities. She didn't however, consider it might've caused the world to die for another individual, who was recovering from her alleged death somewhere far in the north... in the Suna where a red haired, eight year old boy stood on his balcony glaring at the stars with a new fury... hoping to take revenge on whoever took his only friend away from him.

* * *

"You want me to be the curator at the Chuunin exams? But why? I just became of rank and-"

"I trust you," Umino Iruka, Karime's sensei for the past three years patted her on the shoulder as he whisked by. Standing confused in the Konoha Ninja Academy, the girl sighed. Press ganged into judging this spectacle was almost cruel, of course, her services wouldn't be required until the end of the second challenge where she would act as a guide for foreigners visiting and participating, senseis and genins alike.

Standing outside the walls of the academy where the first of the tests was to take place, Karime's eyes fell upon a particular individual. His coarse, red hair spiked casually, and his eyes which appeared as endless aquamarine depths pierced the girls' soul without even making eye contact. All at once, she seemed to recognize something in those eyes... something from her past long ago. Something important.

Memories pounded into her head until the pressure became so unbearable that she collapsed outside the doors, only to be found moments later by a well known genin friend she'd known since her arrival, Uzumaki Naruto, a blonde, loudmouthed genin who barely became a ninja last year. Karime shook out the disconcerting images of the red haired boy as Naruto helped her to her feet.

"Karime-chan? Are you alright?"

"Yes Naruto, I'm fine. See you after the exam, okay?"

The next chance she got, Karime visited the Sandaime (third hokage) and hit him up for some answers on those eerie memories of the boy.

"They are suppressed images that may have been erased by your demon, Rikuso three years ago. Perhaps someone from your past has resurfaced here at the exams. If you keep searching, I'm sure the pieces of your lost past will fall into place," the old man smiled, tipping his large, tri-cornered hat and showing her out the door.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I guess I'm off to the Forest of Death!" the girl announced as she flitted off towards the forest where her talents would be needed in presiding over the preliminary battles of the second round for the teams that survived.

Karime had watched as all the trainees she'd seen grow over the past three years struggle in their matches against one another. Powerful jutsus and tactics were thrown, and even Naruto surprised her with a win. It wasn't until the mysterious red-haired boy stood up to face the notorious taijutsu expert Rock Lee, that Karime became queasy.

Her throat clenched at the violent carnage this mysterious boy wanted to inflict upon his opponent. The blood lust in his eyes seemed insatiable. When he was fighting though, she was once more swept away with memories; a park, an empty swing... the mysterious boy on the monkey bars, minus the kanji for love imprinted on his forehead.

A sadistic blonde man putting a bag over her head, strong emotions and feelings for this boy whom her heart seemed to go out to, though he apparently didn't see her from his place within the ring where he was fighting... and winning.

As a matter of fact, Karime couldn't even watch the displays of cruelty he inflicted upon Rock Lee, so much so that she had to excuse herself from the ring. After the match, the rules were assigned, final matches set, and guides were instituted. Hitawa, Karime with Sand. The guides had been instructed not to reveal themselves until they returned to the city, but as Karime observed the red-haired boy, she realized he recognized the name... _her_ name.

* * *

Karime felt like a cheesy tour guide holding up the sign with the sand symbol on it as she waited for the ninja to file out of the forest and claim their guide. Deep down, however, she was excited too, as well as anxious.

This was the her chance to learn about her past, about this reoccurring boy who haunted her each time she saw him, of course, he wasn't the same as in her memories. In her dreams, her visions, he was soft and loving, affectionate to the girl in his unconditional love.

He was supposed to be innocent, and Karime was always willing to indulge in any of his childish fantasies. Now he was hardened, ruthless and cold. She had hoped he was the boy from her past. If not, she would be back to having nothing. As the Sand team approached, the dark haired girl became apprehensive and attempted to hide her nervousness away. The team however, seemed less concerned about that. Most startlingly, they recognized her right away.

"Karime-chan? Is that you? We thought you were dead!" the taller boy, about the same age as the girl marveled at her through his Kabuki style paint and black hood as he admired her new appearance.

"You've certainly changed Karime," the blonde girl with two buns and a large fan nodded in acknowledgment, and Karime fought to suppress a blush, staring at the ground at the recognition.

"I'm surprised you haven't said anything Gaara! Considering Karime was your first lov-" Temari, the blonde jabbed her brother Kankuro hard in the ribs as he spoke (apparently out of turn). By the time Karime had recognized the name and looked back up at them, the red head- Gaara was gone. Karime blinked suddenly.

She knew him. She knew this Gaara and he was her closest... only friend from her past. Her most precious relation. Karime compared this new, violent Gaara to the one she remembered and bit back a gasp. _How he must've been hurt without me..._ Karime thought sadly as the Sand team left her for the night. _How betrayed he must've felt._

"I have to find him!" Karime decided, leaping up onto a roof as she searched strenuously and unrelenting into the night. The other members of Suna were safe for now. But not Gaara… not _her _Gaara. Where could he be?

_What do I remember about him? Oh! He likes the stars... and he doesn't sleep._ Karime went to the highest part of Konoha with the best view... the Hokage Mountain. There, she recognized the silhouette of a now not so little boy.

"Gaara?" the meak girl whispered into the darkness. Her words caught his attention and his demon like glare found its way to her, almost causing Karime's heart to freeze at its intensity. He however, remained silent.

"I know you," Karime spoke a bit louder this time, and took one step closer to the dangerous being before her.

"You don't know me. You are not the Karime that I loved," the harsh voice of this Gaara hissed, the painful truth of his words hitting Karime hard. She ached for him to understand what had happened, but in that instant, the words wouldn't come for her… instead, she stumbled to get him to remember.

"B-but I remember you! From the park, and the swings, and you asked me... why the sky was blue, and why the ocean was blue, and why rain was blue... and I remember it was because of tears! A-and I've cried so many tears trying to remember you Gaara! Please! You have to believe that if I knew you were still alive I would've saved you at any cost! Please forgive me, I'm so sorry..."

Karime, a respected chuunin in the village, became a quivering, hysterical sight at the sadistic ninja's feet. The whole puzzle fit together now; her entire life with Gaara had been lost, and only regained just now in a painful torrent. But it felt so much more meaningful now that she knew once again.

In that moment, a wave of realization washed over her as she realized the suffering Gaara must've felt all those years without her. She had been blessed to forget her tragic past. He'd had to live with it every day.

"Gaara I can't even _begin_ to tell you how sorry I am that those things happened to you. And I'm sorry I wasn't there... to catch you when you fell."

Gaara's eyes widened for a brief moment before his tacit, emotionless gaze returned. The silence he gave her however, was understanding enough for Karime, who could tell that she was reaching him by the way he'd acknowledged her with a glance… just for a second.

"You're right about one thing... I'm not the Karime that you loved, but maybe... I could be that Karime again," she whispered getting slowly to her feet and facing Gaara's eyes; the cold ice that had encased them before was melted, and was now filled with hesitant trust.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me," Gaara said. Although his tone was unchanging, the words themselves were meaningful enough. In a split second, he was before her, reaching for his friend's shaking hand. The both of them were surprised that the sand shield that had protected Gaara for thirteen years still allowed her within its limits.

"Never Gaara... never again," Karime whispered, enveloping his stiff form in a warm embrace. Pulling back slightly, she examined Gaara's now grown appearance.

"I can't believe you got so tall," she murmured, realizing now that his height was even with her own. "But I'm glad you did, because otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to do this," she added. Then, taking Gaara by surprise, she pressed her lips gently against his, allowing her senses to become fully engulfed in all that he now was.

Drawing away after a few magical moments, Karime caressed her upper lip with her tongue, memorizing his taste before smiling. Gaara's body responded to her actions only when a red blush stretched slowly across the expanse of his shocked face.

Karime wasn't finished however. Reaching up, she brushed his blood colored bangs from his forehead and traced the foreign kanji. Slowly but surely, she felt cold fingers entwine with her own as Gaara pulled the dark haired girl back to reality.

"No matter what happens Gaara, from now on, I'll _always_ be there to catch you when you fall."

* * *

I do NOT remember the Chuunin exams from Naruto, so hopefully it wasn't too ridiculous, not to mention this piece is literally ANCIENT. I wrote it… hmmm… two years ago? Yeah. I'm posting it now.

Review if you feel like it. I mostly wrote it for me. ~DMar


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